How do I use Number26 optimally?

Number26 is a modern current account, which can be easily controlled using your Smartphone as well as with a desktop computer.

It is perfectly suited for payments in the SEPA area, including standing orders and electronic bank statements. It can be used as a salary account, but this is not a condition for not paying costs.

Editorial addition in May 2016: Due to the current development, we do not recommend to use it as the main current account or as the only current account. Who is looking for a new main current account, may find the solution here: The 3 best current accounts in Germany

Although the MasterCard is linked to an account on a credit base, it is embossed. Normally, one can recognize prepaid cards because the card is completely flat.

The account and credit card can not be overdrawn.

You can use the card with the limit being your balance just like a real credit card within Germany and abroad, as well as for purchases on the Internet. The transactions are immediately debited from the current account.

as a travel credit card, travel funds

Since withdrawing cash is free of charge worldwide, Number26 is the ideal account-card-combination for the holidays or for travelling. You can save money for the “most beautiful days of the year” (e.g. by standing order) and spend it then abroad.

In order to remain free of charge, you are not forced to withdraw cash in the foreign currency country first, as with the DKB, because Number26 does not even charge the international service fee when paying with the credit card abroad!

as an emergency account

As the account opening is not bound to conditions (except that it must be connected to a Smartphone), one can use Number26 perfectly as an emergency account.

You open the account and transfer an amount that you want to have at your disposal in an emergency – for example, if your other credit card should be blocked. This can be interesting for all life circumstances.

as a money transfer account

The option of withdrawing cash free of charge worldwide at any ATM that accepts MasterCard (without exchange fees) enables you to use Number26 in different variations for the transfer of funds across national borders.

For example, the family of a migrant worker can use the credit card in the home country to withdraw a part of the salary at the ATM …

Further great to unique features

1. Comprehensive statistics

Intuitive use of the banking app

Number26 automatically registers for what you spend money and provides you with this information in evaluating graphics. You have the opportunity to make individual settings.

This means for you that you can get very conveniently an excellent overview of your financial life and optimize it on that base. Everything is optional!

2. Money Beam

Money Beam is the feature that allows you to “beam” (transfer) money within seconds from one account to the other. For this, you do not even have to know the account number – which is nowadays the complicated and long IBAN.

The banking app of Number26 accesses your internal phone book in the Smartphone and transfers then.

This may be useful, e.g. if a colleague borrowed you money for the lunch. If the colleague is also a customer at Number26, then the money will be transferred immediately to his account. Virtually beamed!

If the other person is not (yet) a customer, he/she can enter his/her bank information and will then receive the transfer to his/her account. Automatically. This will save you the typing of the complicated IBAN.

3. Control Center

You can block, un-block and partially block your credit card via the app.

Your possibilities in the Control Center are particularly interesting, because you can control the features of your MasterCard from anywhere in the world with an internet connection and Smartphone.

This means concretely that you can do following with your MasterCard:

block and un-block it by yourself (interesting, if one has misplaced it – at other credit cards, one has to call the customer service and will receive a new credit card days later (and paying a charge)),

activate or deactivate payments abroad by yourself,

activate or deactivate payments on the Internet by yourself,

block and un-block cash withdrawals by yourself(if you like, you can do this directly in front of the ATM, as the setting is implemented immediately).

In the Control Center, you can choose the language too. Currently, only German and English are available. More languages will be added.

4. Desired PIN

This is particularly nice for those people, who would like to have a nice combination of numbers: you can choose your PIN at account opening. For security reasons, a PIN consisting of the own date of birth is made impossible, however, almost all other popular combinations are.

You will find it easier to remember the secret number having the option of a desired PIN, as this is asked for at every card payment or withdrawal at the ATM.

Revolution of banking

Yes, Number26 has arrived to change the banking world in Germany – later in Europe – for the better.

When one looks at the best German direct banks, like DKB or Comdirect, one may think that we live in a paradise for bank customers.

However, one may overlook that

… not everyone can become a customer at such a good direct bank, as there is always a precise creditworthiness check.

Number26 does not make a creditworthiness check, because it is an account on a credit base.

… many people are customers of banks that had their last big evolution at the beginnings of online banking more than 15 years ago and did not quite change since that.

Account opening at Number26

In order to open an account at Number26, one does not need a computer anymore. The Smartphone is enough. Even the legitimating can be completed via an integrated camera and video chat. Alternatively, the PostIdent-procedure is offered.

Account opening in 8 minutes including legitimating via webcam

With this, Number26 is the bank with the fastest mobile account opening.

Almost as fast is the shipping of the MasterCard. The embossing order is given directly after the video legitimating and the card is shipped on the same day or the next.

Depending on the mail delivery time, you will receive your credit card only two days after the account opening.

Additionally, there are modern features of the banking app. There will be many further developments that will make your (financial) life easier. This is always optional. You decide what features of the account you want to use or not.

I will report about these developments and how you can use them best on this special portal for smart bank customers. To not miss any important information, it is recommended to register as a fan.

How does Number26 earn money?

If account and credit card are absolutely free of charge, then one may ask how Number26 will be able to earn money!

Number26 uses two possibilities:

Payments with the MasterCard

Whenever you pay cashless with the MasterCard, a revenue-based interchange fee applies. You do not pay it, but the payee (merchant, hotel, car rental agency, etc.) to the payment service.

According to the current legal situation, Number26 earns about 1.8% of the transaction (as of 7/2015).

If you want to support Number26, then you should pay often with the MasterCard.

No interest on account balances (interest margin business)

The current account is managed – like almost all current accounts – interest free. Whether your account is empty or it has one million Euros.

Although the margin is extremely little during the current low interest phase, but it is the future plan of Number26 to earn some money through the account balances (German deposit protection).

In further expansion stages of the account, there will probably be even further possibilities for Number26 to earn from its customers. This is normal for a bank.

However, the account and the bank cards will remain permanently free of charge. Also the withdrawing of cash worldwide.

“Start the account opening now”

Questions on N26 bank, card ar app?

I use the MasterCard by Number26 at home and abroad since January 2015. Therefore, I am one of the first users and one may say that I have had some interesting experiences during this time. Take advantage of my experience and post your question as a comment here. My team and I would be pleased to personally help you!

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Rating: 4.6/5 (19 votes cast)

N26 with MasterCard – for free!, 4.6 out of 5 based on 19 ratings

Who writes here?

Someone who gained experience with more than 100 banks in more than 20 countries during the past 15 years. My name is Gregor and if you click to continue you can find out why I am here and what this site is for ⇒ continue.

At number26 new website it writes:
“Fast cash
Withdraw or deposit money while shopping in more than 6.000 stores in Germany.”
This means that cash deposits are now available?
Has anyone tried it?
Unfortunately I could not find any info regarding these 6000 stores at their website.
Thanks again 🙂

Yes, that is an interesting question. It states exactly the same on the German language version “An allen MasterCard Automaten weltweit kostenlos abheben (Withdraw free of charge at all MasterCard ATMs worldwide). There is no information about deposit options at 6,000 stores in Germany.

Surely, it is funny that there are different statements of the provider about the product. To date, these deposit options are unknown to me, but I will dig deeper to see if there are plans about it.

The 6,000 deposit possibilities are planned for the future. It was a mistake by Number26 that this has already been published on the English version. There was and still is no information about this on the German language version.

Nevertheless, Number26 does not state any information regarding when this will be ready and through what stores that will be possible. As soon as this will start, we will report it on this special portal.

Anyway, it is nice to know that something like that is being planned. Thank you for your note!

You ‘re welcome!
I received an answer from number26 regarding the same question, writing that: “Unfortunately this is a feature which is not open to use at the moment. More information about it we will provide soon.”
Thus, it looks like it is going to be implemented later on. As you say, this is definitely good news.
Thanks again!

For now it seems like it works on invitation only purposes. Would you recommend this over the other DKB and Comdirect? I am a foreigner living in Germany and tried to open an account with DKB and they did not let me because of residence permit not being permanent….

I would like to open a number 26 account but i dont live in Germany and i am not a german citizen either. As i read number 26 is the only possible solution for me. I can provide them a german address at the registration as i have a friend in Germany who can forward the card to my address. But how can i verify myself? I dont have any document with german address on it. How does the video verification work? Or do i need to ask my friend to verify the account at a german post office? (But it wont work if i am registering with my data)

Hey, hey! If one wants to open a bank account in another country, then one has to play by the rules and laws of the other country and the bank in the other country 🙂

It is not the fault of Number26 that Greece sells the ID-card so expensive to its citizens and that the national ID-card seems to have insufficient security features for the standards of the video legitimating.

We will investigate, which national ID-cards are already safe enough for the VideoIdent. More information later.

Thanks for the info!! I want to open a N26 account but I was wondering if that bank also offered joint accounts? My partner and I recently moved to Germany (Sept-2015) and would like to open a joint account.

If you click on „Jetzt Konto eröffnen“ (Open account now), the application on account opening will open immediately.

No queue! No Invite-Code is necessary!

Only disadvantage: The account application form is in German language. Can you deal with it? After the account opening and your first login into the app, you can change the preferred language into English. Does this help you?

I have already got invite code and I’m going to register via smartphone using passport because I don’t have residence in DE or AT.
I’ve read I can use my German friend’s address in Germany for sending the card.
But can I give to the N26-operator also name of friend’s together with address (town, street etc)?
I am afraid that N26 will refuse to open account for me if they know the address is actually not mine.

Yes, that is correct. If you state an address outside Germany and Austria, you will have to wait for your account and credit card until N26 offers its services for this country.

Therefore, it turned out being a useful possibility to use an address in those two countries. You live there for a short time. In order to receive mail, you have to write your name on the mailbox. If you move abroad later on, you can keep your account and credit card.

However, telling the bank, “Go ahead and send the credit card to a friend of mine”, will not work. Number26 is a serious financial institution!

I have successfuly registered and card arrived to my German friends’ address already. There was just little problem during pairing my smartphone with the konto but solved with help of n26 support after i called them.
Andre

Hello,
I am a self-employed entrepreneur from Hungary. My business partners are mostly German companies. It would be much easier for me and them if I have a business bank account in Germany.
I usually go to Germany (8-10 times / year) but I don’t have German address. Can I open business account without German address? Any bank would be good 🙂 Since Hungary is EU member I don’t really understand why German address is important.
Thank you for your help!
Thomas

You can open a „business account“ being a self-employed person. A place of residence in Germany is not required. Your MasterCard will be sent to your home address in Hungary.

The account can be opened online and you will receive your German account details (IBAN + SWIFT) within 5 minutes. Already from this point, one can deposit/transfer money. You can write this account number on your invoices. The money will be there.

However, before you can withdraw, you have to legitimate yourself. This is currently only possible through the PostIdent-procedure in Germany (any branch office of the post). They are working on a video solution for this issue, but it is not available yet.

Hi
I am a South African citizen and would like to open an account in Germany for personal use. I dont speak German and neither do I have friends in Germany, but I visit Germany eonce every year for work at the UNFCCC.

Can I be permitted to open an account with number 26? What is the minimum required to do this?

In fact, you have described that you are not included in the target group of Number26. The bank wants to provide excellent banking services in the area current account in Germany and Austria.

However, if you truly want to get the account, it is up to you to be creative. It is known that Number26 hardly proves the address. It only matters that the letter can be sent to you. Obviously, they won´t ship the credit card to a hotel room 😉

There are only few banks that do this. We have presented them on this special portal. Nevertheless, there is never a guarantee on account opening, because it is common practice for German banks to perform a creditworthiness check during the account opening procedure. Due to less data available at people with residence abroad, it is more difficult, but not impossible.

For what purpose of use do you want to open the account?

One is not tax liable in Germany only on the basis of a bank account. One can get exempt from the tax on interest income. You can find instructions on this matter on the German page of this special portal. Likewise, the online banking and general post of German banks are only available in German language. Only the Deutsche Bank and Number26 dispose of a complete English-language version. However, neither of both sends credit cards to the abroad.

German banks are simply not configured for “bank tourists”, as is customary in some tax havens 😉

Yes, such a thing is annoying. I myself have never paid a fee when withdrawing cash using the N26 MasterCard. However, I live in a region of Germany, where apparently no strong competition is practiced.

Unfortunately, I have heard from people in other regions that primarily the savings banks do not let customers of other banks withdraw money (and display consciously misleading statements on the monitor) or charge outrageous fees.

I really do not like the fact that some German banks fight their little wars on our backs.

Number26 will revolutionize the banking industry in Germany – later in whole Europe!

Hi, I managed to get in touch with the support team so I found the reply:

In the registration step 2/3 , we are free to type what we want to see in the card, which was in my case
“First Name: FirstName1”
“Last Name: LastName2”

and later during the webident/postident the complete details of the passport are captured by the agent (to be honest the person did not even query for my details or about the difference between the registration and the passport details, the agent just copied the passport details without further ado).

Hi, i just received my Mastercard, i have a question about signature on back of card, as there is no place for it, just a small area covered with Mastercard colored logos and cvv and the other 4 number, does it need a signature or not? Thanks

From a purely technical point, the signature does not influence the function of the card, of course. But, yes, from a legal perspective, the card needs to be signed in the field you describe. This is considered a neccessary part of the validation process – otherwise it is (legally speaking) not valid.

Anybody knows if I can deposit cash to Number26 through a Cash 26 only (limit of EUR999 per day) or can I do it also by making a transfer through PostBank branch as well (for a fee)? What would be my daily limit?

Yes, you can deposit money at another bank (e.g. the Postbank) and transfer it to the account at Number26. We do not know about the fees and whether other banks have upper limits, because this always depends on the other bank.

One can deposit via transfer up to Euros 25,000 per day at the bank account of Number26.

Yes, that is correct. The delivery of the cards of Number26 may take currently a few days longer. This is due to the very many new applications on account opening. Besides Germany and Austria, five other EU countries were added at the same time, where the online account opening is now possible.

Number26 is working to increase the capacity 🙂

If the card has not arrived until today, it would really be too long … my personal tip for solution: Log into the banking app, go to “Settings => Card settings => Reorder => My card got stolen”. This way, you will get automatically sent a new card for free!

I am a Ghanaian currently leaving in Germany for studies. I already have a bank account with Deutsche Bank. Is it possible to open an account with N26 and transfer money to it using online banking form my Deutsche bank account?

An account opening with address in Germany is no problem. However, it may be that you then have to make the legitimating through the PostIdent-procedure … unfortunately, we did not get a response yet on which ID-cards are accepted via VideoIdent and which not. This will surely be supplied later on.

As long as you still live in Germany, your account opening will be very easy, the legitimating via through the post is also free of charge and proven since long. Good luck 🙂

The legitimization via mail is simple: You only need your passport and the PostIdent-Coupon provided by Number26. These two items you simply need to take to the post office, and the ladies and gentlemen there know what to do with it …

Hi, thanks for all the useful info! I have a couple of questions:
1. Have you ever used Revolut, and how would you compare it to Number26?
2. I plan to use my account for receiving a salary potentially (not in the first few months), and to pay/withdraw money internationally. I do have an outstanding student loan in Germany (agreement is not with a bank but with my university), and am paying it from an account in a country outside of Germany (in the EU). So does having a Number26 account transfer my details to SCHUFA, and who would have access to my data? I’m just worried the university might get info on my account and demand that I pay at a faster rate… (Not sure how clearly I described it, but I hope you understand 🙂
Thanks!

Thanks anyways, Susanne. From what I found out, the main difference is Revolut cannot accept a transfer from third parties, i.e. I don’t have a separate bank account where an employer could transfer money easily.
This SCHUFA business is really non-transparent… they shouldn’t be able to transmit any details, but I think they do

Thanks for this website! I am a non-European living in Germany for 8 months, and it was super helpful to be able to get all this great information in one place. I went with Number26, since their account meets my needs and I like the ability to get service in English.

I was just wondering if there is any information on what happens when I leave Germany. I’ve searched around, and not seen anything online. When I get closer to departure, I’ll contact Number26 directly, but I don’t want to risk having to close the account before I am ready, since I’ll be traveling around a bit before heading home. I know that receiving replacement cards in 3 years will be an issue, but I don’t see anything in the terms that prevents a non-resident from having an account, just from opening one. Have you heard anything about this?

Hi
I’m based in Ireland and I have tried to apply for an account. It seems that there is a backlog and they will contact me at a later date. Does anyone know how long I might be waiting. Travelling to Oz at end of June and was hoping to have my card by then

Thank you for posting this here! Yes, this is correct – a very unpleasant situation! Since March 2016 we have taken Number26 off our “recommendations” list and changed the status to “watch closely”.

On Wednesday, we have informed our Fans via e-mail regarding the current situation, together with our recommendation regarding how to act. This service is currently only available in German language, since we don’t have enough interest readers yet to offer it in English. Once this number increases, there will be an English language version of this extra service as well.

You can do the legitimization process via PostIdent, which should work at the most post offices. Just note please, that since March 2016 we do not recommend an account opening with Number26 anymore. From our “internal group“ we have heard that especially citizens of other countries residing in Germany have been affected regarding the current cancellation of accounts from the Number26-side.

What good does a “hip” account do, which in its list of services offers many features free of charge … but one has to take into account that if you use those too often, the bank might cancel your account? Maybe you would like to have a look at the other options we present on our portal … good luck!

Is the debit card equipped with IBAN code? Is it possible to make and receive wire transfers? What’s the limit of money in the account?
In Italy I use the DB contocarta and the limit is 50,000 euros. In the future I’ll be moving to Germany so I consider this option as bank account.

I am a citizen of Italy currently in Norway and interested in opening an account with Number26. I have shut down my account in Italy before coming here and I currently have no bank account. Is it possible that a friend of mine here, holder of a Norwegian bank account, transfers money to my N26 when I will open it or must she be a N26 client to do so?

Hey Guys,
Just opened an N26 account, following the Postident I received the MasterCard within 3 working days (Berlin). Note card has Debit written on the front, I presume is a new addition. Transferwise worked well and was credited in the account prior to receiving the card. Trialled Cash26 without a problem. Very impressed with the service and ease of opening. In the meantime my DKB account request was rejected, taking a week post postident procedure to receive written rejection notice.

Hello.
I am an EU citizen (Polish) and I work online for a Chinese company. They were paying through Paypal but now want to provide an account for bank transfers. They make transfers in USD. I do not want to open a bank account in Poland and coming to Germany to the Post for ID verification is not a problem. What are my best options? Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Hello Gregor. Thank you for this. Very helpful for a tough moment in my life. But the big question – will I be able to open the account in Comdirect if I have no credit history in Germany?
Thanks again,

I would make a great Director of Essential Questions, but nobody is hiring. 🙂 OK. Great idea with the savings account. Thank you. Can my Chinese employer make transfers into that type of account? Sorry to keep bothering you with this but I was declined a DKB account although I have a mailing address in Germany.

Yes, an international wire to the saving account should be possible. You get an DE-IBAN. Sadly this account is not for payments like a current account (Girokonto). Outgoing payments are only possible to your “Referenzkonto”. But it could be possible that is that your current account in Poland. Do you want try it?

Another idea could be to apply a Viabuy MasterCard (the German, not the Polish version) and take that as “Referenzkonto”. In the German version you get an “own” virtual account number – in polish current not. You can make wires in SEPA area and can use the card for payments. https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/viabuy/ – but there is a setup fee (for the first three years).

Hello again Gregor. Thank you so much for your help! This is a very good plan and I will try it. Have you heard anything about the Post not excepting a Polish ID? I am not registered at the German address.

Yes, to 99 percent is that not a problem. Be friendly 🙂 If there is at one post office not possible, use another one. Recently I discus with my post office and they told me that is no problem. They have this case every day.

Hi Gregor, with all the new changes happening with N26, do you still recommend keeping the account? The main thing that bothers me is the SCHUFA information exchange, even though I only plan to keep the bank account without any overdraft.

What do you suggest, think, and recommend?

I wonder if it would make more sense to just let it be closed and continue using the DKB I have? (Since they have some exciting changes ahead).

Hi Erick! A very good question! I see it the same way and will let my card/account expire as well. For me, the N26 account doesn’t not make sense any more (but that doesn’t mean, that it might not be of use for other people.)

Hello Gregor,
Once my account is successfully open through IDNow and I already received my card by mail in Germany, am I able to change my address to a non-EU one?
Is the below fact you informed a time ago still happening? Do you know why?
“From our “internal group“ we have heard that especially citizens of other countries residing in Germany have been affected regarding the current cancellation of accounts from the Number26-side”.
Thanks!

I would like to ask you for a help regarding N26 verification process. As I dont know how it works in Germany, my ID was not accepted by IDNOW, so I did verification via deutsche post – online. Everything is confirmed now. How N26 will know that I was verified? As from N26 I received a coupon number, but post officer told me via online call that it is not needed and everything will be fine. Now I am not sure what to do next and contact customer service of N26 is kinda mission impossible 🙁 … otherwise bank application looks fine and its free (with master card) only till end of January …

The start-up had started so hopefully and got from the positive editorial reporting it had been deserving back then.

Regrettably, the start-up has meanwhile turned into an average company with average conditions and a service that is not particularly good. You have regrettably just experiences a part of that.

I have informed our readers via newsletter, that I didn‘t like the developments at N26 and would give up my account there. By the way, many readers have replied to this that they see it the same way and have cancelled their accounts there as well.

Did you manage to get your account verified?
When you applied for the account, did you give any phone contact number?
Is it OK if the phone number is in a country where the N26 services are not yet established?

Just opened an account with N26 (black). Can you advise me if I can pay in start up funds by another debit card.
Going on, if I transfer funds from Spain in Euros, can I hold them within my account in UK pounds??

I have opened this card… but I need to deposit cash on it when I’m in Italy, for example. How can I do that? Is there a fee for charging this card through a bank or ATM? Is it possible to deposit the cash on this card in Germany through an ATM or can I only do that at the bank counter (I don´t speak German)?
Thank you for an answer.

The easiest way is depositing through a bank transfer. That is free of charge for you!

There are two alternatives:
a) You go to the counter of another bank and deposit cash (paying the fee of the other bank) and have this money transferred to the IBAN of your N26 card.
b) You use the deposit service through a supermarket in Germany or Austria. Altogether, there are about 9,000 branches in which this is possible. You probably know: REWE, Penny, DM, real, Budni, Ludwig, Eckert or ON?

The deposit of Euros 100 per month is free of charge.

Additionally, the service costs 1.5 per cent.

Within 24 hours, you can deposit a maximum of Euros 900. This requires 3 transactions, because a maximum of Euros 300 per transaction is accepted.